Wow, this BMW Z4 sDrive 28i is really yellow and expensive. And a whole lot of fun. I really like this 2.0-liter engine with its decent torque relatively low in the rev range for such a small engine, and the turbo picks up midrange and really packs a punch. The gearbox action and clutch engagement are spot-on, just what we've come to expect from BMW. The steering is direct, and the suspension settings can be set for sport or comfort. While there's not really enough horsepower to kick the rear end out in twisty corners, there's certainly more than enough oomph to keep the driver engaged.
The folding top is an easy one-button, 20-second (or so) operation, giving the car a dual look. The cockpit is tight, but the various seat adjustments along with the tilt/telescoping wheel made it easy to find a comfortable driving position. The radio and climate controls are the old-school BMW version, meaning no info screen but rather just a strip. That makes it difficult to see the radio stations, but again, it is something you get used to rather quickly.
Even at $50 large, this would be an expensive two-seater, especially considering it has such a small engine under the hood. But at $61,000, it is in the stratosphere, and frankly, I might be looking at a V8-powered Chevrolet Corvette instead.
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Yes, indeed it is quite yellow, but still I like the way the car looks: wide, low, sculpted. That's top-up. Top-down it looks a little bloated to my eye, and the cutlines for the top are just weird.
This is not a sports car, it's a boulevard cruiser. The 2.0-liter turbo works a heck of a lot better in this car than it does in the 5-series. In sport mode, the car is fun to rip through the gears and the thing really can hustle a bit. In comfort mode, the whole thing is just meh, a bit lumbering in fact, unless you're just cruising, in which case the ride/handling mix is terrific. Stop/start works well, though people standing on the curb think you've stalled it.
The interior quality is good, if a bit tight, and I like the yellow stitching, but the off yellow leather looks awful. It's sort of a nasty mustard color that doesn't match the rest of the car at all.
And then there's the price, at which I laughed. No way would I take this over the much sharper driving Porsche Boxster and maybe not even the Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG.
SENIOR ONLINE EDITOR RORY CARROLL: I had the BMW Z4 for a long weekend, and honestly, I have mixed feelings about it. There is a lot to love here; it's basically a good car with a few notable flaws.
Let's start with most obvious shortcoming of the car: its paint. The paint color is called Atacama yellow after South America's Atacama Desert. It is wildly, insanely yellow. The Z4 is so yellow that I was tempted to use electrical tape to write “School Bus” down the side of it.
In another color, the car would be very pretty. It is well proportioned and the look is a good deal more compelling in person than it is in photos.
The interior is well crafted, but the yellow found its way in there, too. With its yellow Alcantara and gray Alcantara with yellow stitching, the interior looks a bit like something you'd see at Hot Import Nights. Plus, it smells bad. After some fiddling with the seat adjustments, I was able to find a very comfortable driving position. The M steering wheel and shifter are wonderful.
The convertible top is a wonder. With the top closed, it looks like a coupe, and the car is coupe-quiet inside. When the top is stowed, there is no sign of it. If you must have a convertible, this setup is near-perfect. That said, I could not stop thinking about how much it must weigh.
The absurd complexity of this car was a source of considerable annoyance for me. It seems everything on the car that could be operated with an electric servo, was. The trunk unlocks with the sound of a small electric motor. The parking brake is controlled by a small switch on the center console. When you touch the switch, another motor binds the rear brakes. It all adds weight and complexity with no appreciable benefit whatsoever. Put simply, it is bad engineering. Loading a car with heavy, unnecessary electric doodads, and then slapping on a sticker that reads “Efficient Dynamics” is dishonest.
I saw an indicated 33-mpg average over the course of a couple of hundred-mile trips. That figure would be improved by a weight reduction.
The 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder provides enough power to make the Z4 fun to drive. It's a little buzzy--especially when it's cold--and for $61,000, you might expect it to be less coarse. The turbo noise is vulgar and surprisingly fun. That noise is a good representation of the motor's overall character. It's an eager, prurient little mill, and it gets the Z4 down the road just fine. You won't have trouble passing, but the car is not quite fast. If it were to shed a little weight, it would be a hoot.
It handles very well, considering how softly sprung it is. I would not go so far as to call it “fun to drive,” but I'd imagine that has a lot to do with the fact that the M Wheel package provides this car with way too much tire. The small motor doesn't have the power to overcome the grip of the wide tires.
I'd imagine that in Z4s equipped with more motor, I wouldn't spend every drive thinking about removing all the little electric servos and letting Z4 out from under all that extra weight. I'm not asking BMW to build a Lotus Elise, but shedding the unnecessary stuff from the Z4 sDrive28i would really let it shine.
Not only would the car be better to drive if it was lighter, but BMW might be able to chip away at its incredible $61,145 as-tested price. So make the Z4 sDrive 28i a stripper model, call it the Z4 Leicht and remind us all why we used to love BMW so dearly.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR DAVID ARNOUTS: After a night with the Bimmer, I understand the whole “midlife crisis, wind in what's left of my hair” thing all the better.
The school-bus yellow BMW was borderline offensive at first sight, but it did grow on me. Not that I would pick this yellow out of the spec sheet, but the overall look grew on me.
Never having been behind the wheel of a Z-series BMW, I was half expecting a poor experience. Not that the Deutsch automaker creates inferior products, but because as a larger guy, the whole “drop-top two-seater” usually ends in backaches and tears.
Much to my surprise, the interior accommodated me and a passenger quite nicely. It was snug, but I have options to move the seat around and make space if needed.
In the art of making space, the trunk is small, but fit a load of groceries with the hardtop in the up position.
As Roger said, the 240 hp won't kick the rear out in the twisties, but overall it's a quick roadster--not fast, but quick.
I imagine those who would buy this bright yellow roadster would rather be seen than hit the mountain roads anyways.
The turbocharged I4 sounds great. It brought a smile to my face every time I'd heel-toe down a couple gears.
The power top works well; you have to hold the button down until it stops, a small price to pay for the breeze in my receding hairline.
As others have said, it's pricey. I just can't imagine this selling that well because you can get so many more cars for the money. For around $60,000, I'd jump at a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: There are a lot of roadsters one might consider in the $60,000 range, but if this 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i wasn't painted this awful yellow and sported a 3 moniker on the trunk lid, in coupe or sedan form, we'd be gushing about what a spectacular driver's car it was compared with the competition. But as a roadster, we forget the basic underlying 3-series that we love above all else and instead focus on cost and color and lack of equipment.
Fact is, like a 3-series, the car is a blast to drive and drive hard, but unlike a 3-series, it isn't as satisfying because we expect even more from a roadster. After all, as noted, the competition includes the likes of Porsche Boxsters, Ford Mustang Shelbys, Chevrolet Corvettes and such. In this latest form, the direct competition is the Mercedes-Benz SLK, and both offer similar features and driving character. The Benz seems better thanks to a more recent refresh, but the Z4 remains a more intuitive driver's car.
Base Price: $49,545
As-Tested Price: $61,145
Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged I4; RWD, six-speed manual
Output: 240 hp @ 5,000 rpm, 260 lb-ft @ 1,250-4,800 rpm
Curb Weight: 3,263 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 27/26.7 mpg
Options: M Sport/Citrus Yellow package including adaptive M suspension, individual black trim, black Alcantara/leather combination, 18-inch light alloy start-spoke wheels, performance run-flat tires, aerodynamic kit, increased top-speed limiter, anthracite headliner, sport seats ($6,300); Premium package with universal garage-door opener, auto-dimming mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror, power front seats, lumbar support, automatic climate control, ambiance lighting ($3,300); BMW assist with Bluetooth ($650); comfort access keyless entry ($500); heated front seats ($500); satellite radio with one year subscription ($350)
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120827/carreviews/120829868#ixzz2Cqk9cmah
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